


My Brother's Keeper

by Antigonesev



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-18 13:29:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11875506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigonesev/pseuds/Antigonesev
Summary: What if there was a third Dixon? What would life have been like for the brothers?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a potential one-shot, I'm not sure. If I get enough kudos/comments/feedback I will post another chapter and then see how it goes. A warning, I don't think this fic has been beta'd yet, so forgive any mistakes. The title is a WIP too, so it may change at some point too, if I actually add more....

* * *

**1977**

* * *

 

“I promise, I will come back for you and Daryl.” the blue-eyed youth said with a thin frown as he rubbed at the barely-healed wounds on his arms. Merle stared down at the red dots that littered his older brother’s arms. “The Army gotta take me, I’m big and I know all about guns, Senior taught me.”

 

“Not yet,” Merle said with a sigh, looking down at the smaller boy that slept in a nice blue comforter on the lone bed in the room. A dirty mattress lay beside the bed, blankets folded neatly at the foot of the bed. “You still have that job with Mr. Greene.” Merle thought of the one thing that he could use that would keep Jesse here longer. Merle didn’t want Jesse to leave.. Not quite yet. He wasn’t ready to be the big brother here, not yet. 

 

“Yeah, and I don’t want Daryl to miss Star Wars, too. He’s been asking about it.” Jess bit his lip. “Okay, next year.” The two boys shook on it, each boy spitting in a slightly grimy palm and shaking on it, making a promise.

* * *

 

**1978**

* * *

 

“Promise, swear?” the little boy asked, his dark blue eyes filling with tears as the two boys stood at the doorway. 

 

“Pinky swear.” The oldest boy said with a quick nod, his black eye unable to blink, only one blue eye staring out at the two younger brothers before him. “Merle- you watch out for Dare, til I get back. Mama can’t, you know she can’t.” The oldest boy swung back his long hair into a ponytail before looking down to the littlest one. “I’ll be back, okay? It’ll be like..when I’m camping and hunting. I’ll be back, you won’t miss me at all. You got Merle, too,”  the boy smiled a thin smile, giving his youngest brother a hug, and shaking hands with Merle. 

 

Then he was gone. Jesse was gone, with the sunrise, right after their father had left for the bar and their mother left for her job.

 

“Where’s Junior? Where’s your damn brother?” Will Dixon senior shouted, hours later. The house shook as Daryl hid under the bed while Merle was out there. He listened to the glass break, smelling the alcohol and the blood. What seemed like hours later, Merle came back. Daryl took in a long breath, surprised at how bad Merle looked. 

_ Just like Jess. _

 

“He’ll be back, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Merle said with conviction. “Just like Hogan’s Heroes.” Merle didn’t let his tears show, not until he had made sure Daryl brushed his teeth and put on his pajamas before bed. Luke, Leia, and Han stared back at him from the new-ish comforter Jesse had “found” for Daryl right before his hasty departure.  _ “Just like Hogan’s Heroes.”  _ Merle whispered to himself as he drifted off to sleep on the now-spacious mattress on the floor next to Daryl’s bed. 

 

* * *

 

Jess shivered, sipping slowly at the cup of hot chocolate that was on the table before him. Dale had given him a job, right when he had turned up on the front step of the mechanic shop. Jesse was a small, strapping boy and Dale had a suspicion Jesse was far younger than his proclaimed fifteen years, but he had noticed the old bruising and scars on the boy. He couldn’t fathom anyone trying to hurt their own child, their own flesh, just like that. Dale had been a policeman for years, and knew how to read people. This boy, Jesse- he needed help. Dale had given Jesse a place to stay, and a place to work. The boy had been working for him for several months, and it was just after Christmas. 

“Happy birthday.” the boy whispered into his hot chocolate, licking his lips and staring down at his worn out black Converse hi-tops, the white rubber toe wrapped up expertly with duct tape. 

 

“Whose birthday?” Dale asked mildly, leaning on the table. It was rare for Jesse to offer up bits and pieces of information. Dale was careful, not to push the boy. 

 

“M’rl. M’ brother.” Jesse said simply as he finished up his hot chocolate, blue eyes filled with regret and sadness. It was the only new piece of information Dale could pry out of the boy for the rest of 1978. 

 

* * *

 

**1979**

* * *

 

Smoke. The smell of smoke filled Merle’s nostrils. His eyes snapped open, and he could feel the heat surrounding him. Smoke filled the room, and he knew he had to go grab Daryl. Will must have fallen asleep again, smoking in bed, maybe. Merle hauled Daryl up, getting him to wake up so they could try and get out of the house, maybe Mom was already out of the house. 

“Ma?” Daryl asked in his little-boy voice, still not quite jaded enough yet from Jesse’s departure to start calling their parents by their first names yet. Merle had finally started doing that right after Jesse left. Jesse had never called Will ‘Dad’- that Merle could remember. 

 

“Willie! William Jesse!” They could hear Ma screaming for Jess, but she had forgotten Jess had left, when she started drinking, too. “Merle John!” 

“Ma!” Daryl shouted, screaming for Mama. Merle panted, trying not to inhale. Smoke filled his lungs, and he pushed Daryl down, rubbing his face in the filthy rug. “M’rl!” A dark shape loomed over them. Will, weaving drunkenly and shoving over their meager furniture in a rush to get out of the house. Ma was on the couch, she had fallen. Her legs were stuck, under the heavy armoire that Grandfather Collins had made long, long ago. 

 

“Ma!” Merle shouted, forgetting his promise to never call William and Dorothy by their ‘title’ of parents. “Ma! I got you!” Merle shushed Daryl and told him to crawl- stay low to the ground just like on Hogan’s Heroes. The had lost their TV to the pawn store, Dorothy had wanted to be sure the boys got some food for the month. It was the last decent thing she had done for her sons, right after Jesse had left. 

 

“Merle-- Merle?” Dorothy asked, her voice slurring slightly. She was drunk, the alcohol seeped from her pores. Merle could smell it, and see the faint white powder on her bloodshot nostrils. “You take Daryl and William and go. Just- run and go,” she croaked, coughing as she blinked up at Merle, blue eyes meeting blue. “My boys- I’m so, so sorry.” She held out a hand, gently cradling Daryl’s blond head for a final moment before pushing him away. Merle scowled down at the brown-haired woman who had just…. Given up. 

 

Given up. Just like Will, and Jesse- Merle thought heatedly as he grabbed a screaming Daryl away from Dorothy and ran outside of the burning heap that used to be the hovel they had called home for as long as he could remember. 

 

_ Good fucking riddance, Jesse-  _  Merle thought as he clung to Daryl, sirens filling the air and Will collapsed at his feet, clutching a bottle of Jim Beam. Daryl sobbed quietly in his arms, and Merle wasn’t sure what, or who, Daryl was crying for. They hadn’t lost anything at all. 

* * *

 

“You gotta go to school, boy. You got to learn more than just cars,” Dale said solemnly as he stared down at the boy hunched over the engine of a 1971 Mustang. “Don’t you want to take care of your brothers, Jesse?”

“Yeah…” Jesse said with a huff, the sound of tools clinking filling the thick air.  “But I gotta earn money to care for ‘em. Blankets, food, milk for Daryl…” Jesse let out a huff and half-smile, remembering his baby brother’s impish smile. “I only got like, two hundred dollars. That’s not enough.” 

 

“Not if you graduate high school. You get a diploma… I’ll help you with your brothers. Deal?” Dale asked, his bushy eyebrows rising slightly as he smiled down at his hardest worker. “I’m pretty sure you ain’t eighteen quite yet, either, boyo.”

“Aaah.. fine,” Jesse said with a scoff, his blue eyes going back to his work, a small smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. He couldn’t wait to get his brothers back. He wanted to have his brothers home and together- away from the orphanages, he didn’t like Mr. Blake’s Boys Home- Mr. Blake always smiled at him too much, and all of the boys there always looked so afraid.. Almost like Will Dixon had come home, just in a different body. 

  
  


* * *

 

**1983**

* * *

 

 

Jesse stood before the ruins that had been his home. He hadn’t considered it home, but.. His brothers. His little brothers, who he had come back for. He had finally finished his end of the deal with Dale. He had gone to high school at Woodbury High, and graduated with straight A’s.  He even had saved up enough money from working for Dale to get paperwork done to make sure the brothers could stay together. He had gone to the fucking library for fucking months….. 

 

Only to come to the house and find it… in ruins. His family- gone. Will and Doro could just go fuck themselves, but his  _ brothers…  _

 

“Dare! Merle!” Jesse screamed, running through the woods, as if he could find his brothers there. They used to camp in the woods, when Will went on his benders and Doro was too busy working… 

 

“Will? Willie?” a voice broke through the dark. Light followed, and Jesse looked up to see Hershel Greene. 

 

“Mr. Greene? What happened to my brothers?” Jess didn’t waste time, he wanted to find his brothers and take them home with him to Dale’s Automotive in Woodbury, the next town over. “I’ve -- I’ve come back for them.” Jesse sniffled, his leather jacket not quite keeping him warm enough in the cold autumn air. “What happened?!”

“I.. they’re gone....”

 

Jesse was gone, into the night before Hershel could finish his sentence. Jesse was never one to stay, to be patient and listen. It was his determination to find his brothers, to be his downfall. 

 

“Damn.” Hershel tried to run after Jesse, but the eighteen-year old was too fast for him. Days later he came home to find a motorbike on his porch, with a leather jacket on the seat. He remembered seeing Jesse Dixon riding around in the motorcycle and jacket the last few days. It had been years since he had seen the eldest Dixon boy, and it seemed like the boy would be gone for good. Or not, thought Hershel as he saw an envelope on his bible. Jess had left his phone number and forwarding address for any correspondence. 

 

William Jesse Dixon, Jr. had joined the army. The stark proof laid in the letter, typed out on stationery Hershel recognized from the Army recruiting base, over in Fort Benning. Hershel glanced down at the small box of things Jesse had laid next to the bike. It seemed that the oldest Dixon boy had joined the Army, and left everything behind in King County, for Hershel Greene.  Hershel was listed as a next of kin, as well as a Dale Horvath over in Woodbury. 

* * *

  
  


“Don’t tell him nothin’ you hear? Nothin!” Merle shouted, shoving the leather jacket into Hershel’s arms. “Jess ain’t nothin’.” the lanky sixteen-year old Merle scowled at Hershel Greene. “Daryl don’t need to know how Jess up an’ left us.”  Reeling back on his heel, Merle crashed to the ground, the stink of moonshine permeating the air around himself and Hershel. 

 

“But don’t you think Daryl-”

 

“Don’t bring baby brother into this, ya hear? No!” Merle shouted, dragging himself up to his feet and tossing the jacket Hershel had tried to give to Merle, or even the hat, the cowboy hat Jesse would wear while working on Hershel’s horses back in the day- the littlest Dixon boy looked like he would fit in the hat or even boots. 

 

“Jess is no more. He’s Dead.  _ DEAD _ .” Merle stalked off down the dusty driveway, the hot Atlanta sun beating down on Hershel, as he let out a long sigh and gathered up Jesse’s things to place carefully in the storage shed in the barn. Perhaps, perhaps one day he would be able to find Jesse again, and until then… he would have his things taken care for. 

 

_ The Prodigal Son, _ thought Hershel with a sad smile as he nailed shut the thin wooden door to the storage room. He didn’t want his girls running across any of Jesse’s things- the box had a gun in it and some cigarettes, a lighter, and two bottles of alcohol. 

* * *

 

**1985**

* * *

 

Daryl stared at his older brother, who was wearing a T-shirt, with MARINES stamped on the front. Merle had come back, like he had promised. Letting out a long breath that he didn’t know he had been holding, Daryl gave a weak nod, picking up the duffel bag that Merle had brought with him when he got off of the Greyhound bus from Fort Benning. 

 

“Eleven, eh?” Merle said with a thin smile, walking at Daryl’s side, blocking him from the road as the two of them walked to Hershel's beat-up red Dodge. The two Dixon brothers climbed into the bed of the truck, while Hershel nodded, taking the wheel without a word. It was a good thing, if Hershel had said a word, Merle would have given him what for. The two of them hadn’t said a word since their parting of the ways in 1983. 

“So Darylina’s still in school,, eh?” Merle said with a nod. “Stayin’ in school, that’s what you oughta do. Be the good Dixon.” Jesse was left unspoken, a vague memory niggling in the back of Daryl’s mind as if a long-forgotten dream from a long time ago when he was a boy. 

That night, they had spaghetti and meatballs at the Greene farm, and camped out in the backyard in the woods that Merle and Daryl had grown up exploring. _ Jesse, too _ \- before he had left, Merle thought fleetingly before shaking Jesse from his head. It wasn’t time to think of the traitor- wherever he was…. 

* * *

 

Jesse breathed in the hot desert air; the Persian Gulf was a world away from the woods back home in King County, Georgia. A cold stab of bitterness shot through his chest as he adjusted his bulletproof vest. 

 

“Ya okay, Dix?”

 

“Yeah, just- m’brother’s birthday,” Jesse said with a slight huff. “ Eleven years old t’day.” Jesse smiled as he pulled out an old and beat-up Polaroid he had stolen from Hershel, a long time ago when he was a boy. In the faded and beat up photo, the biggest boy stood only up to Hershel’s chest with a beat-up cowboy hat on his head. A faint scowl marred what would have been an adorable smile, with a dimple begging to be shown. Long blond hair swung in his faded blue eyes, still startlingly blue as the Georgia sky. Next to him was a shorter boy, with a buzz-cut and a gap-toothed smile, freckles fading on his arms and filthy overalls. In front of the two boys stood the smallest boy, eyes hidden behind long blond hair, clutching a teddy bear. The bottom of the Polaroid read  _ DIXON BOYS 1976 _

 

__ “We got ya, Dix.” the soldier said with a small chuckle, seeing the photo and not quite seeing the misery hidden in the boys’ eyes. Where one saw ragged, tired farm-boys, the other saw happy boys after a day without a beating and a full stomach heavy with nutritious food fresh from the farm. 

 

“DIX--” Men ran by, shouting- a rocket launcher had been found. Snapping in duty and putting his photo in his vest pocket, Jess swung into action. He could think about his brothers later. 

 

* * *

 

**1992**

* * *

 

Daryl Dixon smiled thinly down at his brother Merle and Hershel Greene down in the audience as he moved the stupid thing to the side. He never knew why moving that tassel thing was so important, but he did it anyway. He had finally graduated high school. Merle said he would frame the diploma and put it up on the wall, but Daryl knew better. Merle would just let it sit on the counter and get it buried under a stack of final notices until they left whatever trailer they had managed to find. 

 

“I’m so proud of you, Daryl!” Hershel said with a wide grin, giving Daryl a warm hug before going back to his daughter, Maggie, who had graduated with Daryl and had been next to him in the line-up. D, then G. Dixon, Greene, and Grimes. 

 

_ Grimes.  _

The Sheriff's son, who had been hanging around a lot lately, thought Daryl as he watched Rick saunter off with Shane- W, way in the back with James Watson, and was the last one to graduate. Maggie poked Daryl in the side, and whispered to him to stop staring at Rick like a lovelorn puppy and just ask him to the bonfire. The bonfire at the Green farm, which Hershel was supervising, with the help of sheriff Grimes.

* * *

  
  


Jesse smirked down at the kids at his feet. He had his sons for the weekend, and they had gone fishing, camping, and all of the things he had adored doing with his brothers. It still wasn’t quite enough. He knew he was trying to fill the void that his brothers had left behind, but it still wasn’t quite enough. 

 

“Dad?” the oldest boy asked, holding out an empty cup. Jesse refilled it with the last of the Root Beer, telling the boys they would have to go to bed soon, their mother was picking them up bright and early tomorrow morning. Jesse blinked for a moment, he could swear he saw Daryl in his son’s eyes- and Merle in the other boy’s grin. He was seeing his brothers everywhere, even if he didn’t have any photographs of them save that old polaroid he had carried around with him all those years. It was hidden away in an old cigar box he had stolen from Hershel over fifteen years ago, back when he was first working for the old farmer. He had filled the box with all kinds of treasures, including a few polaroids and some treasures- his first valentine from a girl, a picture Daryl had drawn of them hunting a deer, and one of Merle’s rare coins he was always finding. His treasure chest had kept him sane over the years, and he was forever grateful he had decided to hide it in a hollow pine tree he had found between his home and the Greene farm. 

 

Shaking himself out of his memories, Jesse turned himself to the task of tucking in his boys for bed, making sure they were sent to bed on time. They had brushed their teeth, had their bath, and talked with their mother on the phone. It was time to send them off for the night. 

 

“Night Dad!”

 

“Goodnight, sons.” Jesse flicked off the light, closing the door and making sure his worn cigar box was tucked away in the fireproof safe, along with his dog tags and his diplomas and various other pieces of paperwork. He had gone through hell trying to get himself a birth certificate and paperwork, he wasn’t losing anything ever again. 

 

Not even his brothers, thought Jesse as he smoothed down his striped comforter and laid down in his bed, closing his eyes and trying not to think of the memories he thought about every night, for the past fourteen years. No one heard the faint whispers that echoed into the starry night. 

 

_ “Goodnight, Dare. Merle.” _

 

* * *

 

**2000**

* * *

  
  


“It’s the dawn of a new century!” Rick hollered with a laugh, throwing his arm around Daryl, who grunted with a faint smile that could be seen by Merle, who let out a small huff and took a swig of his beer. 

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Merle grunted with a huff, pushing himself out of his chair and stalking away from the bonfire, the fire crackling loudly in the starry night. Hershel fed the bonfire more wood, talking with Glenn, who was his newly minted son-in-law after dating Maggie for five years, and having married her in 1995. The two had a son, little Hershel Rhee. The three year old was tuckered out on a blanket a distance away from the fire. Sitting with him was Maggie, talking quietly with Lori, who was Shane’s newest girlfriend. 

“Merle?” Rick asked, trying to find his boyfriend’s brother- Merle had disappeared without a word, and Rick didn’t want him high as a kite tonight- that would mean Shane would have to throw him in the cell yet again, along with Luke Horvath, one of old Dale’s foster grandsons- the boy seemed to be in and out along with old Merle, the two seemed to be two peas in a pod, thought Rick with a thin scowl as he spotted a light on in the barn. 

 

“Hey!” Rick called out, seeing a ranch hand of Hershel’s, in the barn. The man had on a black cowboy hat, and blue button up shirt. His jeans were worn, with brown cowboy boots that made Rick immediately think of his own. Did he really dress like this? Thought Rick as he frowned thinly at the man, thinking of his own outfit of a similar blue shirt, blue jeans and brown cowboy boots. He hadn’t seen this farmhand around, but he had one of those familiar faces- 

 

“Just makin’ sure the horses ain’t spooked..” the man said with a nod, smiling a brief and friendly smile behind a greying goatee- 

 

“Someone come in here earlier? Maybe drunk?” Rick asked with a cock of his brow. The farmhand shook his head with a shrug and held up his own beer bottle in reply.  “Well.. thanks, anyway.”

 

“Yeah.” The man exhaled sharply, his hand going to a pack of Pall Malls in his breast pocket. Rick could see the edge of a tattoo peeking out of his sleeve, stars like Daryl had on his hand.  “Happy new year,” he said after a long moment of staring down Rick with eerily familiar eyes. It was almost as if Merle were staring him down from Daryl’s face. The man looked too much like a Dixon, Rick had to laugh, feeling the buzz of alcohol spreading throughout his body. He had Dixon on the brain, that was evident, if every man he saw resembled either Merle or Daryl. 

 

“Cowboy! There you are!” Abe boomed, his deep voice shattering the quiet melancholy in the barn. The redhead stalked over to the farmhand, shaking his hand warmly as Rick blinked and walked off in search of Merle, again. 

 

“Ya find m’rl?”

 

“Na, just a farmhand named Cowboy. Didn’t know Hershel had farmhands.”

 

“We used to live near here. He always hired us kids to pick berries, care fer the horses an’ shit,” Daryl said with a quiet huff. “Only hired us Dixon boys, really,” Daryl told him with a chuckle as he slapped Hershel on his shoulder.  Hershel glanced at a sullen Merle who only shook his head and glared back, in a uncharacteristic moment of sobriety that quickly faded the moment Daryl and Rick had called out to him, having found him. 

 

“Excuse me- I must have a word,” Hershel said as he hurried away towards the barn. He was absolutely shocked, that Jesse had found his way back. Had he seen Merle and Daryl? He was more than willing to break his silence on the matter to Jesse, but not to Daryl, as he had promised Merle. Even if it was a  _ stupid  _ promise, Hershel still believed in keeping his word. Merle hadn’t said anything about telling WIlliam junior, only telling Daryl. 

 

“ _ Willie _ !” Hershel called out, then corrected himself. He had forgotten over the years that the oldest boy had taken to calling himself Jesse. Even the mail he had gotten on a few occasions had been addressed to a Jesse Dixon. “Jesse!”

“Jess? He left.” Abe said with a shrug, walking away from the barn. “He had to go, something about a governor being a pain in the ass. “ Hershel’s heart twisted, and he had to sit to catch his breath for a moment. He had been so close. So close to Jesse again, how.. How had the boy found his way back on the Greene farm? “Hey, you okay?”

“How.. How do you know Jesse?” Hershel asked as the red-haired man knelt next to Hershel on the small stone wall near the barn. Abe shrugged and smiled a small smile. “Jesse was one of my farm boys.”

“Well- old cowboy and I were in the same unit. We worked in Iraq, Afghanistan- y’know, the gulf wars. Stupid shit, and he got out when he got his legs fucked up, and his ears, too. Can’t hear out of one, y’know, rockets.” Abe said with a shrug. He didn’t want to mention exactly how old Cowboy had to drag himself back to base after being unconscious for hours, and left for dead in the rubble. He still felt a stab of red-hot shame sweep through him every time Jesse looked at him with that look on his face- the ‘what did you say?’ look on his face… 

“He’s always been a tough boy.” Hershel said with a long sigh, gathering his shattered heart around him to repair later- he had done it before, and he would do it again. One way or another, he would have all three Dixon boys together again, even if it meant his funeral, but he fervently hoped it really wouldn’t come down to that….

  
  



	2. The Fourth of July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers attend a fourth of July picnic hosted by Abraham Ford.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter hasn't been beta'd, but I think it seems okay. Thank you to all at RWG :-) and thank you to every one of you who gave me kudos and positive comments. Thank you! I'm still not sure if one more chapter is needed but.. here you go!

**July 4, 2017**

  
  


The smell of hamburgers and hot dogs filled the air. It was the Fourth of July, and Abraham had invited them all over to his place for a barbecue. It was a nice quiet affair where there would be no fireworks. Carol had made sure of that, and told Daryl and Rick to bring Carl and Judy. 

Daryl and Rick ended up bringing Merle along. Merle had promised that he wouldn’t drink up all of the beer, and he had known Abraham from Basic. Abe had been one of his trainers, and the two men were the only people on earth that knew why Merle left Basic and was discharged from the Marines so quickly. 

 

“Abe!” people shouted as they came into the backyard through a side gate that Carol had propped up, children ran around the yard, chattering loudly while the teenagers lounged around on coolers and turned up the music. Rick was swept up in a conversation with Shane and Michonne, talking about the recent changes made to the King County police department. Daryl stood around talking quietly with Carol, who was their dispatcher at the police department, while Abe was simply manning the grill and enjoying his retirement. Daryl was called away momentarily by Michonne to answer a question, leaving Judith with Carol.

 

Judy scuffed her pink  cowboy boot in the dirt. Enjoying the feel and the sight of the dirt covering her brand-new boots from Grandmother Grimes. Even if Grandmother insisted on everything being pink, it was still a good cowboy boot, almost as good as Daddy’s brown ones he had on today. Glaring up at the lady who had blond hair and looked like a barbie doll, Judy growled a small growl. She didn’t like the lady, not at all. 

“My, little Miss Grimes, you’ve grown!” Judy chose to ignore the lady, allowing her dirty blond plaits to do the talking, flipping them over her shoulder with a turn of her head. “Where’s your daddy?” Judy stuck out her tongue, but instead of running away, the lady laughed a creepy smile. 

“Jessie, what brings you here?” Carol asked politely, yet firmly as Judy ran to her. “I was under the impression you were….out of town.”

“Oh- Ron got….sick. We had to take him to the Urgent Care and cancel our trip to Martha’s Vineyard.” Carol made a slight choking noise as Judy buried her face in Carol’s cardigan. “I thought I’d just… catch up. I haven’t seen anyone in such a long time.” Carol knew that was  a bold-faced lie, since Jessie lived up the street from herself and Abe, but held her tongue. Before Jessie could dig herself further down a rabbit hole, a knight in shining armor appeared in the form of Abe’s army buddy.  _ Cowboy _ .  _ Jesse. _

* * *

  
  
  


“ _ Jesse _ !” Carol called out, her voice loud and desperate, Judy clinging to Carol as if her life depended on it. Poppa and Daddy had disappeared with Abe and Glenn. Uncle Shane was somewhere, and Carl had disappeared with Sophia. Judy was all alone with Carol and the scary lady that lived down the street from Uncle Abe and Aunt Carol until a very, very nice man appeared. 

“Carol! You’re a sight for sore eyes.” The grey-haired stranger said with a slow smile that looked just like Poppa’s, right down to a small dimple that Judy knew she had, too. The man had cowboy boots on, and a cowboy hat just like Daddy’s sheriff hat. The man was tall like Uncle Merle, and talked gruff and smooth like Uncle Merle, too, without all of the bad words. Judy moved her head so she could see the stranger a little bit more. 

“And who’s this little asskicker?” Jessee asked, tilting his hat at Judy. Judy giggled, her mouth opening to reveal her two front missing teeth. 

“I’m Judy! Poppa calls me that too!” Judy said as she pulled away a bit further from Carol, and her eyes moved to meet Jessee’s. “I’m six years old.” Judy began to chatter happily, while Jessie looked as if she had swallowed a lemon whole. Carol didn’t mind one bit, the woman was begging to be put in her place after her shameless perusal of Rick Grimes. Jessie blushed furiously and stalked off, in search of Rick who had disappeared at the sound of Jessie’s shrill and recognizable voice. 

 

“And I’m Judy  _ DIXON _ , --” Judy chattered away happily as one of the Rhee boys ran by and laughed at Judy. 

“No, you’re making stuff up again, Ma-” The boy whined, and Judy scowled. No one told Judy that she was a liar, or not a Dixon. Poppa was a DIXON, so that made her one, too. Furious and red-faced, Judy raised her boot and kicked the boy hard, in the shin. The boy went down screaming and sobbing, while the stranger looked down with a mild frown. 

“Judith Carol!” Carol hollered, Rick turning to hear the commotion as soon as his daughter’s name was hollered.

“He called me a liar!” Judy said with a scowl as Maggie leaned over her son, taking him in her arms. “He was teasing me, AGAIN! After his Momma and Poppa told him not to, even Grandpa Hershel!” At that, the stranger laughed and walked away with a shake of his head, letting the drama play out once Judy’s Poppa had shown up. Daryl glanced up at the stranger in the cowboy hat for a split-second, thinking he was Merle- but the man was gone, talking animatedly  with Abe at the grill. 

“That still doesn’t make it okay to kick ‘em.” Daryl said with a grunt, trying to hide his laughter. Rick was at his side in moments, letting out a quick huff of disapproval. 

“But you said so, Poppa, if a boy was botherin’ me to kick ‘em in the sack. You even showed me how to on Uncle Merle.” Rick blinked down at Judy and let out a tiny snicker, realizing that was why Merle had that six-pack of beer on his balls earlier that month. It still didn’t excuse any kind of physical assault on a fellow classmate. Even if it was Daniel Rhee, the youngest Rhee boy. Carol slid over to Maggie, whispering to her about what really had gone down, and Maggie agreed that it was wrong to kick someone in the nuts- even if they were being obnoxious little toerags. 

“I think Daniel’s been punished enough- and I do think this has helped drive home the little lesson. At least she missed.”

“This time.” Carol said with a small smirk that made Maggie raise a brow in mild agreement. Everyone knew Judy Dixon was a handful, and not to piss her off. The women took the children aside for a talking to, and to keep things mellow without any drama. Rick and Daryl hovered by Carol and Judy until the drama was settled, and the children were off playing again, tears dried and hurts mended until the next meltdown. 

 

* * *

 

“Jesse, this is Michonne, and our friend Shane Walsh- Shane’s with the King County Sheriff department.” Abe said with a nod as he used his tongs to point at each person in turn. “Glenn here is working with Michy, over at the DA’s office.He’s a runner.” Abe said with a nod as he moved the tongs back to turn over the sizzling meat on the grill. “Cowboy here was in Iraq. We got stuck in the same unit with Rosita, Tyreese, and Father Gabe. Lucky fucker got himself out early- shrapnel fucked up his legs.”

“And ears.” Jesse said with a half-smile, a faint squeal coming from his ear as he scratched his ear. “These rockets are  _ fucking  _ loud.”

“Mmhm.” Abe nodded and murmured in agreement, plating all of the meat. Jesse, now dubbed Cowboy, glanced over at the meat with a slow smile. “Yeah, it’s your recipe, you dickhead.”

“Knew it.” Cowboy snickered softly as he fixed up his plate, whistling a soft melody as Rick and Daryl moved up in line next to the cowboy, helping Judy and Carl fix their plates. Rick took Carl, while Daryl took Judy. 

  
  


The cowboy Jesse smiled and winked at Judy, making her giggle and wrinkle her nose. Daryl raised a brow up at the stranger in the cowboy hat, whose eyes made him think of Merle. 

Where was Merle, anyway? Thought Daryl with a frown. He hadn’t seen Merle for awhile, and he was lurking somewhere around here.. He hopefully hadn’t caused any trouble, Daryl thought with a glare at his plate. He could hear Abe over at the grill, and he finally saw Merle swaggering over to their table, beer in hand. Merle plunked himself down at the edge of the bench, his back to everyone on the bench. The cowboy was whispering softly to Judy and gave Rick a wink. 

 

“Got grandkids this age- can’t stop talking about all those cartoons and shit.” the man said with a nod. “I know what it’s like to need a break.” Rick nodded and smiled at Judy, who was chattering away about her new cowboy boots that Uncle had gotten her. Uncle Merle smirked, listening to Judy’s chatter in the background as he took a big swig of his beer, his blue eyes watching the crowd mill about in the backyard.  

* * *

 

“Nice to see you boys.” Hershel said with a smile, walking up to the table. His limp was still pronounced, but he was just used to his new artificial leg. The amputation had done him a favor and given him the wake-up call he needed, that even if he was a doctor, he still needed to take care of himself once in awhile. 

“You too, Hershel.” Rick said with a smile, Carl excusing himself to go ‘hang out’ with Sophia and Enid at the other side of the yard, as far from the adults and little children as they could get. Jesse turned, adjusting his cowboy hat and frowning slightly- both Cowboy and Merle shared the same frown, making Hershel blink quickly in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see Jesse here- if at all. He knew Merle hadn’t seen Jesse, or there would have been things said, and things happening. Both men sat on the same bench, Merle in front and Jesse in back- their blue eyes the same hue of blue. Jesse seemed more scruffy than Merle, somehow, with a greying beard, more grey than brown, hiding the small curve to his lip that Hershel knew Jesse and Daryl both shared. Both boys, Daryl and Jesse, had identical smiles. The three brothers looked so similar, sitting at the table that Hershel’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest at the sight of the three Dixon boys-- well, men now.

 

“Well.” Hershel croaked, picking up Merle’s beer and taking a swig. He hadn’t drank alcohol in over ten years, but this- this needed a pick-me-up. 

“Hershel?” Rick asked, peering up at Hershel and wondering what had gotten into him, drinking Merle’s drink, of all things. 

“I- ah, was thirsty. Real thirsty. I think I’ll.. go see Abe.” Hershel skittered away, knowing if he spoke more, he would burst with the secret he wasn’t supposed to tell Daryl. Changing his mind, Hershel walked over to his son-in-law and asked him for a small favor.

“Son, I know you always have those cameras in your phone.. Could you take a picture of everyone at Rick’s table? The kids.. Look real sweet and I would love a picture for everybody.” Hershel said with a nod, pointing at the table and hoping that no one would leave- he did miss that photo he had of the Dixon boys, that he had taken eons ago when they used to work the farm for him. 

“Sure thing, Dad.” Glenn said with a bright smile. Taking out his phone, a few buttons were pressed, and Hershel now had a replacement photo for the polaroid that had gone missing from his refrigerator all those years ago. “I’ll put it in your phone for you.” Hershel handed Glenn his phone, letting the boy do his magic. 

“Thank you, son.” Hershel smiled and whistled a merry melody, going back to Abe, who was still manning the grill and shooting the breeze with Father Gabriel. 

 

* * *

 

“Are you a real cowboy?” Judy asked, leaning on the table and peering up at the cowboy with wide blue eyes. “Daddy has a cool hat like that. He’s the sheriff with Uncle Shane. Poppa an’ Uncle work at the car hospital, they’re like doctors for cars!” Judy said with a grin. 

“Oh, so Poppa’s a mechanic with your uncle?” Cowboy said with a chuckle. “I did that for a long, long time. I have my own car hospital over in Alexandria.”

“Wow! That’s FOREVER!” Judy exclaimed with a roll of her wide blue eyes.  Daryl let out a small huffing laugh, watching Merle stalk off after an newly-legal Beth Greene. Daryl let Merle go, knowing Beth would take him down a peg or two- she was no longer a shrinking violet now that Beth had begun her nursing classes and was currently taking Taekwondo at the Y. Old Merle may need another six pack again soon, Daryl thought as he eyed a large Yeti cooler by the fence being opened up by Hershel. 

“Yeah, but I’ve been all over the world an’ Alexandria’s just a fun walk away.” Cowboy said with a nod. “It’s faster with a horse, or with a car, or a tank.”

“Wow.” Judy bounced on the balls of her feet, her eyes darting from her Poppa to Cowboy, and back again. Cowboy leaned on the table, moving up slowly. “Are you old? Do you hurt like Grandpa Hershel?”

“No- well. Not really.” Cowboy let out a low sigh, having answered this question from his grandsons. “I was in a big nasty fight and… got a lot stuff broken, and they couldn’t fix me up quite right again. So I’m a bit… banged up like an ol’ teddy bear. Just gotta be careful, sometimes.” Cowboy nodded slightly up at Judy’s Poppa and winked to show it was all right. He was used to the questions. 

“Oh. So the doctors can’t fix you up again? Not even Grandpa Hershel?”

“No, Especially not Grandpa Hershel.” Cowboy said with a long sigh, his hands going to his breast pocket for  a Pall Mall and a silver lighter. After lighting up and having a nice drag, the lighter was put away in his pocket along with the packet of cigarettes. 

 

Cowboy moved away towards the fence where the other smokers stood around smoking, Judy trailing after him, her pink cowboy boots making a small jangle with each step she took. Rick got up, letting Daryl sit and finish his food. 

“I got this one, babe, just finish eating.” Rick smiled at Daryl, winking at him and sending him a sly smile full of promise. “You can pay me back later tonight.” Daryl snickered into his beer, shaking his head and watching his husband saunter off with his bow legs, remembering those legs wrapped around his hips earlier that morning…

 

* * *

 

“Sorry about that, Judy just loves meeting new people.” Rick said with a smile, putting his hand on Judy’s shoulder. “She’s quite social.” The cowboy smiled slightly and nodded. 

“It’s fine.”

“I think I’ve seen you around… I’m Rick Grimes.” Rick said with a smile, offering  a hand to the older familiar-looking man who took it in a firm handshake. 

“Jesse Dixon. But you can call me cowboy.” Jesse still stung at having to use ‘Dixon’- but it had lessened over the years, he had to introduce himself less and less. Now everyone just knew him as Jess or Cowboy- and that was the way he liked it. A step further away from the curse of Dixon.

 

“Funny, my husband is a Dixon.” Rick said with a light chuckle. “Dixon’s a right popular name these days.” Judy frowned and stomped her small pink boot.  “And Judy, too. I can’t forget that Judy’s a Dixon as well.”  Rick shook his head, his curls bouncing slightly with the motion. 

“Huh.” Jesse said with a huff of surprise, his blue eyes glinting. He had expected the typical curl of the mouth, or blank stare of distrust. It was the first time someone had smiled at the sound of the Dixon name. Not since he had met Helena, and that had been five years going now- Diego was five, so it had been five years… Jesse blinked mildly and nodded as he picked up a beer from a nearby cooler that had been opened by Hershel. “I have -- “ Jess began and grunted softly. 

“You’re a  _ good  _ Dixon.” Judy said with a nod and taking his hand into her small one. “Just like me, Poppa an’ Uncle Merle.” The little girl smiled her toothless smile up at Jesse, as Jesse blinked down at the girl and coughed, spilling his beer. “Are you okay?”

“Mm- yeah.. I- I just thought I heard somethin’ I haven’t heard in a long, long time.” Jesse said with a confused pull of his mouth, huffing on his cigarette, the red light glinting with each huff. “Merle ain’t a common name, much less Merle  _ Dixon _ .”

“Oh- so you know my brother in law, then? I didn’t think Merle went as far as Alexandria in his -- adventures.” Rick trailed off lamely, as Daryl sauntered up, his coke in hand. “Merle seems to stick close to home these days.”

“What has M’rl done now?” Daryl drawled with a small frown, not sure if he wanted to know. He had heard Merle had been doing a bit of traveling, but not as far as fucking Alexandria, of all places. He knew Merle had been up to Woodbury to have a chat with a guy who called himself ‘the governor’ like some kind of asshole….

 

 

Hershel could hear the whistling of the bomb that had just been dropped, and it was falling quickly....

 


End file.
